6 Local Patios Where You AND Your Kids Can Enjoy a Bottle

If there’s one thing Memphians love (besides barbecue and brunch), it’s patios. Each spring brings a run on precious patio space as we all flock to bask in the warm weather with a cool drink in hand. Parenthood, which I entered last year, does nothing to alleviate the desire, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t get to enjoy a glass of wine and the gorgeous temperatures. Fortunately, Memphis is full of child-friendly establishments with outdoor spaces to (responsibly) enjoy an adult beverage without having to enlist the help — and expense — of a sitter. Since becoming a mother, I have made it a mission to find all the places where I can savor a pinot grigio while my son kicks back with his bottle in the sunshine. So break out the stroller, and take in the weather while it lasts on one of these family-friendly patios!

Chef Kelly English has recently expanded the menu of his second restaurant, The Second Line, to include a hilariously named “ … so you brought your child to a bar” section. Named for the children of staff members, your offspring can enjoy Addie’s cheeseburger po’ boy or Scarlett’s grilled cheese. Meanwhile, you can embark on the more exotic fare like the fried oyster salad, andouille + crawfish + pimento cheese fries, and a French 75 or two from their full bar with an extensive cocktail and wine menu. Their beautiful patio is child- and dog-friendly, and The Second Line is conveniently adjacent to Overton Square.

Located where Cooper Street meets Monroe Avenue in Midtown Memphis, The Second Line resides in a redesigned Victorian-style cottage. The former backyard is now a spacious and comfortable patio. Image: The Second Line Facebook page

Located adjacent to the Cooper-Young “I Love Memphis” mural, the Memphis Made Tap Room is only open on weekends and boasts a covered outdoor patio to enjoy, rain or shine. Kick back with a RockBone IPA or one of Memphis Made’s limited edition brews, like the Southern Julep. While food is not served inside the building, food trucks are often parked outside. Staying ’til dinner time? Memphis Made allows deliveries from outside restaurants. We suggest you order a pie from nearby Midtown Aldo’s Pizza!

Let the kids build their own flatbread pizza while you enjoy a pinot noir or sauvignon blanc from Ciao Bella’s extensive wine list (there’s also a full bar and a huge variety of beer.) This East Memphis casual Italian dining staple offers a gorgeous, plant-laden patio with fans and twinkling lights. Walk off the carbs with a stroll to Yolo afterwards.

The greenery and ambience of Ciao Bella’s patio will make you forget you’re at an East Memphis strip mall.

Often voted the best Mexican restaurant in Memphis, Las Delicias’ Quince Road location has a sizeable and shaded patio, which is perfect for when summer’s heat begins to creep in. Your children will love their homemade chips with guacamole and chicken tacos, while you throw back a Riunite-Rita. Yes, it’s just like it sounds — a frozen margarita with a small bottle of Riunite attached to slowly infuse and make your margarita taste like a frozen sangria.

The patio at Las Delicias on Quince Road is made for dining out with the family.

This Memphis barbecue institution offers patios at all of its locations — Downtown, Midtown and Summer Avenue — so odds are high that one is close by no matter where you are in the city. Treat yourself and the youngsters to the BBQ nachos and mac and cheese, and top yours off with a Ghost River beer, as Central BBQ offers an extensive array of local brews.

Central BBQ has three locations and three kid-tastic patios, including this one in the original Central Avenue location. Image: Stephanie Jones

With a reputation for being an upscale, but family-friendly, restaurant, The Majestic Grille offers one of the finest patios in Downtown Memphis near the corner of Main Street and Peabody Place. Spacious and perfect for people watching, toast your offspring’s Shirley Temple with your own strawberry basil martini or mimosa. The food menu is extensive enough to please anyone, and their weekend brunch is outstanding.

The Majestic Grille’s patio is right on Main Street, with a view of the trolley. Image: The Majestic Grille Facebook Page

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